


A Varie-tea of Flavors

by decaf and sleep (kohiii)



Category: Vampire Knight (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Boba Dates, Developing Relationship, M/M, hand holding, i wrote this while craving boba myself, kaname and zero drink their way through the boba shop's menu, kaname has a sweet tooth, zero doesn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23483254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kohiii/pseuds/decaf%20and%20sleep
Summary: Zero was willing to bet that Kuran had never even heard of boba, much less tried it. The pureblood's concept of tea was probably the expensive loose leaf shit that was poured into dainty porcelain, not the sugared up dessert served in a plastic cup.
Relationships: Kiryuu Zero & Kuran Kaname, Kiryuu Zero/Kuran Kaname
Comments: 14
Kudos: 136





	A Varie-tea of Flavors

**House Milk Tea** **  
**_Premium house blend black tea with cream_

"I can't believe you've never had boba before, Kaname-senpai!" 

Zero twitched, wishing that he hadn't agreed to Yuuki's request that he accompany her and Wakaba to town. As the four of them stood next to the counter, waiting for their drinks, Zero mused that it was just his luck that they would run into the pureblood while out shopping. Yuuki, of course, had enthusiastically insisted that Kuran join them for boba before they had to return to the academy. 

The only upside was seeing the politely masked confusion on Kuran's face when he nodded hesitantly to Yuuki's request. 

Zero was willing to bet that Kuran had never even heard of boba, much less tried it. The pureblood's concept of tea was probably the expensive loose leaf shit that was poured into dainty porcelain, not the sugared up dessert served in a plastic cup.

He had sighed, stuffing his hands in his pocket and grumbled at the pureblood, "Just try the House Milk Tea, it's standard," at Kuran while Yuuki and Wakaba were placing their orders at the counter. He was _not_ feeling _sympathetic_ for the stupid leech, he just hated that stupid lost look in Kuran's eyes, alright? 

And if Kuran's eyes had softened ever so slightly in gratitude, well -- that was just a trick of the light. 

\--

**Creamy Jasmine** **  
**_Premium jasmine green tea with cream_

Zero groaned when they stopped in front of the familiar door. "Boba again, Yuuki?" 

It wasn't shaping up to be a great day. Not only had he been forcibly dragged out of bed at an ungodly hour, it had been because Yuuki apparently needed to run an errand in town and didn't want to go alone. Even worse, the Chairman had insisted that Kuran should also tag along on their 'adventure', never mind that all good vampires should probably be fast asleep in bed by now. 

Yuuki pouted. "You can never have enough of boba, Zero," she proclaimed passionately as she pushed the door open. 

He rolled his eyes, following after her. The pureblood brought up the rear, this time seeming much more at ease in the shop than his previous visit. 

When Yuuki's back was turned, giving her order to the cashier, Kuran leaned into him and murmured, "And what do you recommend this time, Kiryuu?" 

Zero barely suppressed the urge to jump away, instead shooting a scowl at the pureblood. Just what was Kuran up to now? The damn vampire was smiling innocently at him, as if he hadn't just done something horribly creepy just now. 

His eyes quickly scanned the menu and mumbled, "Try the Creamy Jasmine, Kuran." If Kuran had enjoyed the previous drink, this was similar enough, right? 

And when Kuran placed an order for _two_ Creamy Jasmines with a wink in Zero's direction, all the hunter could do was sigh. He really should've known better. Stupid, manipulative purebloods.

\--

**Paradise Lime** **  
**_Special lime infused floral tea_

"Kuran...senpai, what are we doing here?" 

"We're having boba together, Kiryuu-kun, what else?" 

"No, that's not what I…" Zero gave up as the pureblood continued to smile that same shit-eating grin at him. Not only had Kuran invited himself to Zero's hunt, he'd dragged the prefect to the same boba shop afterwards as a 'celebratory' thing. 

He didn't see what there was to celebrate, considering Zero had been the one to do all of the work while Kuran just creepily kept watch over him from the shadows. If the pureblood was going to tail him, the least he could do was be helpful. 

(Not that Zero would've allowed Kuran to take his prey. No way.) 

But no, what really bothered him was that Kuran had been going out of his way to _spend_ time with Zero. He couldn't go anywhere without seeing the damn brunet. 

Yuuki had been ecstatic of course, taking it as a sign that the two most important people to her were finally getting along. Zero thought it was more like he was forced to get through his day with a clingy and insistent barnacle attached to him. 

He took another sip of the Paradise Lime, musing that at the very least it was entertaining to watch Kuran's facial expressions shift ever so slightly as the pureblood tried to not express his displeasure for the drink. Honestly, if Kuran didn't like the taste, he should've just thrown it away. 

\--

**Liquid Gold** **  
**_Handcrafted honey oolong tea topped with cream_

Zero couldn't help but roll his eyes as Kuran set down their order in front of him. It seemed the pureblood was determined to drag him back here as often as he could. At the rate they were going, Zero wouldn't be surprised if Kuran forced them to try the entire menu together. 

"So what monstrosity am I being forced to drink today?" he asked with resignation, eyeing the cream that was mixing into the tea. Truth be told, Zero was not a fan of the tea and cream combo, but he had the feeling that Kuran was not about to give him the option to refuse. 

"This, Kiryuu-kun, is Liquid Gold." 

It sounded obnoxious. 

...It tasted just as obnoxious.

\--

**Classic Thai Tea** **  
**_Sweet Thai tea topped with organic cream_

"..."

"..." 

"Senpai, we're never ordering this again." 

"Yes, I do find myself in the rare position of agreeing with you this time, Kiryuu-kun." 

\--

**Grasshopper** **  
**_Lychee green tea topped with fresh cucumber juice_

Zero leaned back in his seat and licked his lips in confusion. He wasn't sure how to feel about the strange drink, and based on Kuran's face, the older student was just as bewildered. 

It was a strange look for Kuran. Zero wasn't sure if he had ever seen the pureblood this open with his emotions, and some part of him was thrilled at this blatant display of trust. 

"I don't think lychee goes with cucumber," Zero said at last. 

\--

**Sweet Marshmallow** **  
**_Toasted marshmallow black tea with cream_

Zero stared down in horror after the first sip. "Kuran-senpai, this is _disgusting._ " 

"On the contrary, Kiryuu-kun, I find myself quite fond of this concoction."

"I don't understand how you can have the sweet tooth of a five-year-old and the vocabulary of a fossil." 

"How hurtful, Kiryuu-kun."

\-- 

**Mango Funtime** **  
**_Signature mango smoothie made with real mangoes_

"Mango?" 

Kuran paused, probably taking note of the expression on Zero's face. "Is there something wrong, Zero-kun?" 

Zero hesitated, weighing his options. Well, they were on civil enough terms that the pureblood probably wasn't going to try and use this against him. And even if he had yet to admit it out loud, Zero was starting to see Kuran as more of a...friend rather than a pesky acquaintance. 

He sighed. Well, there was nothing quite like a leap of faith. 

"I'm allergic to mangoes, senpai. But you should still try the drink." 

\--

**Grapefruit Garden** **  
**_Grapefruit infused green tea with fresh grapefruit juice_

"--you think, Zero-kun?"

_Huh, for once the pureblood didn't choose something disgustingly sweet._

"Zero-kun." 

_The grapefruit goes surprisingly well with green tea._

"Zero-kun, are you listening to me?" 

_Maybe I should try this with less sugar and ice next time._

"Zero-kun." 

_...And add some aloe._

"Zero." 

...Wait, what?

Zero nearly knocked over his drink as he realized that the pureblood had just called him by his first name -- without honorifics. He managed to catch his cup before it tipped over, but his heart was still going a mile a minute at Kuran's bold move. 

"What did you just call me?" he asked, completely caught off guard. 

Across from him, Zero could spot a faint hint of red to the pureblood's cheeks as Kaname took a sip of his drink in an attempt to stall. 

"You weren't responding," Kaname said at last, still steadfastly avoiding eye contact with Zero.

\--

**Lady Bug** **  
**_Passion fruit jade green tea with real kumquat juice_

Kaname's face was as impassive as always, but the pureblood was chewing a lot slower than usual. 

Zero didn't blame him -- the seeds in the drink made it barely palpable. Perhaps the tea itself wasn't terrible, but all Zero could taste were the damn seeds floating in his drink. 

"I think," Kaname announced hesitantly after he had managed to swallow his mouthful. "This is another one we can agree to never order again." 

Zero nodded. 

\--

**Lychee on Lychee**   
_Lychee black tea with lychee jelly_

"Hello, I'd like to have the Lychee on Lychee, 150% sweet, no ice." 

"And I'll have the Lychee on Lychee, 25% sweet, light ice." 

Kaname turned to him with a playfully mocking smile. "Breaking the rules already, Zero-kun? I thought we were supposed to order the same thing." 

Zero smirked in response. "Speak for yourself, Kaname-senpai. I'm not the one who adjusted the original order to include more sugar." 

\--

**Pina Colada**   
_Signature coconut smoothie made with real pineapples_

"Are you not going to finish your drink, Zero-kun?" Kaname asked him when Zero pushed the drink away in disgust. 

Zero shook his head. 

He had hoped that the pineapple in the drink would be tart enough to counterbalance the inevitable sweetness from the coconut, but it still felt like he was trying to drink a cake through his straw. Kaname, naturally, was delighted with the level of sugary sweetness in the drink. 

"I hope you don't mind if I help myself to it then." 

Zero snorted. "Go wild. I still don't know how someone like you has such an insanely sweet tooth." 

Kaname simply smiled as he reached for Zero's drink. Without hesitation, the pureblood closed his mouth around the tip of Zero's straw -- the same straw that Zero himself had been drinking from earlier -- and took a long sip. 

Zero stared. 

Kaname stared back. 

"That's my straw, Kaname-senpai," Zero finally said, slowly, his brain trying to wrap around the sight of Kaname drinking directly from the same straw. 

Wasn't this -- 

An indirect kiss? 

(Neither of them commented on each other's suddenly flushed cheeks.) 

\--

**Roasted Tea Creama** **  
**_Dark roasted oolong tea topped with organic cream_

It was still a bit awkward between them, the boba shop bringing back the memories of their last visit where they -- 

Zero slammed a brake onto _those_ thoughts. 

He briefly glanced at Kaname, who was sitting next to him with his hands cupping his drink while he looked out the window absentmindedly. There was a strangely subdued air to the normally self-assured pureblood, and Zero wondered if Kaname had been just as taken back by what happened the last time they were here. 

"You didn't ask for 150% sugar," Zero finally said at last, unable to take the small, hesitantly hopeful looks Kaname kept shooting his way.

He told himself it didn't mean anything when Kaname flashed that brilliantly shy smile at him.

\--

**Taro Lover**   
_Taro milk with slow cooked taro chunks_

"Sorry, I don't mean to be intrusive but -- are you two dating?" 

Zero was too stunned by disbelief to do much else than imitate a goldfish, but Kaname seemed to have no qualms as he twined their fingers together and smiled at the curious girl standing by their table. 

"Indeed we are. How did you guess?" 

The girl smiled at them. "I see you guys here a lot. You're always very happy together, and I think that's very lovely!" 

Zero's brain came back online rather belatedly. "We're not -- that's -- Kaname and I aren't --" 

Kaname, ever the sly bastard, lifted Zero's hand to his mouth and pressed his lips against Zero's fingers. "Please don't mind him, he's a bit shy." 

While the girl nodded in sympathy, Zero wanted to tell her that she was misunderstanding everything and Kaname was simply teasing her. But the words were stuck in his throat. Because -- oh for fuck's sake, there was some part of him that was happy to play along. Wanted it to be real, even. 

When the girl excused herself and left, Zero tried to wrench his hand back, but Kaname wasn't letting go. "Kaname-senpai," Zero tried to pull free from the pureblood's grip. "You can let go now." 

For a second, the pureblood didn't say anything. Then -- "You called me Kaname." 

What? 

"Earlier, you said 'Kaname and I', _Zero._ " 

Oh. Oh fuck. Fuck, fuck -- 

"Don't go." 

Kaname was staring steadily at him, his hands still clasped around Zero's. "Stay with me." 

His throat felt dry. There was something inside him that was threatening to burst free, something that had been building up for a while now. He took a deep breath. 

"Okay." 

\--

**Virgin Mojito** **  
**_Fresh mint leaves and key lime with premium green tea_

"Are you still shy, Zero?" 

Zero didn't say anything for a while, taking slow sips of his drink as Kaname interlaced their fingers together. He briefly squeezed Kaname's hand, both a silent acknowledgement of the pureblood's presence and a request for time to get used to this new change. 

Even back when he had harbored romantic feelings for Yuuki, Zero never imagined one day that his feelings could possibly be returned. The fact that there was someone who did care for him that way now, someone who was willing to acknowledge this relationship between them in front of other people -- it was still a concept his mind was struggling to accept. 

Kaname had been a patient lover, and Zero was all the more thankful for it. He never pushed past what Zero was comfortable with, and Zero did his best to reciprocate the other's affections whenever he could. 

Glancing around the mostly empty boba shop, Zero made up his mind and turned to his pureblood. 

"Zero…?" 

He pulled Kaname into a soft kiss, his tongue delving into the pureblood's mouth and tasting faint hints of the mint and peach flavor of Kaname's drink. 

\--

**Silky Mango** **  
**_House mango puree infused organic milk with honey boba_

"Mango again?" 

"We do need to get through the entire menu, Zero." 

"...Well, you're on your own. I'm not going to the hospital for your sake, Kaname." 

\--

**Strawberry Sangria**   
_Signature strawberry with premium black tea_

"This is it, then," Kaname was looking sentimental again as he set down their order of Strawberry Sangria down. "The last drink on the menu." 

They were sharing a drink this time, with Kaname insisting on both of them using the same straw. Zero had fondly rolled his eyes in exasperation, but he gave in to Kaname's demands. 

He did suppose it was rather bittersweet that their monthly ritual was now coming to an end. There was a faraway wistfulness in Kaname's eyes that made Zero's heart clench painfully. 

"Don't be an idiot," he said at last, reaching for Kaname's hand and twining their fingers together. He knew it was the right move as soon as Kaname's eyes shifted over to him in soft wonder. Zero fought down the instinctive discomfort that came with expressing his affection so openly in public. "There's still that new place near the Academy we haven't tried out yet. We can go the next time Cross wants us over for dinner." 

A heartbeat of silence. Then -- 

"I love you, Zero." 

He swallowed at his pureblood's openly adoring gaze. 

"I love you too." 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> this all started with a conversation about what kaname and zero would order if they got boba xDD  
> thank you to the kaze/zeka discord and my beta milkteas for inspiring this whole thing \ o /
> 
> (in case you were wondering, all the drinks in this fic come from teaspoon's menu)


End file.
